MasukLouis didn't pull away from that kiss... and Lorenzo has no idea what's coming. Will Louis take Matt's deal? Will Lorenzo find out? Comment your theories below besties 😭 Also don't forget to leave a review if you're enjoying the mess 💀
Chapter Ninety Four: Without Me The room was tall and luxurious, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city like a kingdom Lorenzo had built but couldn't yet walk through. A treadmill sat in the center, and Lorenzo moved on it slowly, his steps measured, his jaw tight with concentration. His feet had been getting better…he could feel the strength returning, the muscles remembering what they were meant to do. But he trained in secret, only when Louis was there to watch, only when the world wasn't watching him struggle.Louis sat on the edge of the bed, glasses perched on his nose. The screen exposure these days had caught up with him…late nights reading reports, scrolling through intelligence, piecing together Giuseppe's moves. He looked older, more tired, but there was a softness in his eyes when he watched Lorenzo move."You should at least have your trainer here," Louis said, his voice light. "Someone professional. Someone who knows what they're doing."Lorenzo shook his
Chapter Ninety Three: The Price of Loyalty Louis woke up tied to a wooden chair, his head pounding from whatever they had injected him with. The room was dim, lit by a single lamp that cast long shadows across the walls. Across from him sat Giuseppe, calm and composed, a glass of wine in his hand like he was hosting a dinner party. Behind Louis, a man whistled softly….a cheerful, almost jaunty tune that felt entirely out of place. Giuseppe sighed. "Theo, would you please stop hovering?" Theo…the head guard….grinned, stepping into Louis's line of sight. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a face that looked like it had been carved from stone. But his eyes sparkled with mischief, and his grin was infectious. "Sorry, boss," Theo said, twirling a knife between his fingers. "I just want to see how this plays out. He's got a reputation, this one. The model who stood up to the board. The husband who told you to go to hell. I'm a fan." Giuseppe's jaw tightened. "Theo." "Righ
Chapter Ninety Three: I’m Just Selfish The safe house was modest compared to the Volterra estates….plain walls, simple furniture, the kind of place that was meant to be invisible. Giuseppe sat across from Isabella, a glass of wine in his hand, studying her like she was a puzzle he was trying to solve. "Are you faring well?" Giuseppe asked, his voice soft. Isabella was quiet for a moment. She stared at her hands, her fingers thin and pale. "I don't know. Sometimes I don't remember where I am. Sometimes I think I'm still in that room." She looked up, her eyes hollow. "He kept me there for so long. I forgot what the sky looked like." Giuseppe's expression softened. He leaned forward, his voice gentle. "I've missed you so much, sister. You have no idea. What could I have done without you?or your love?” Isabella's lips curved. "You would have survived. You always have." He smiled. "I suppose." Then his tone shifted. The warmth faded. His eyes grew sharp, calculating. "But do
Chapter Ninety One: Not Blood The entrance was hidden behind a false wall in a laundromat that had definitely been a front for something since the 1980s. Matt pulled open the dryers, revealing a narrow staircase that descended into dim light. The air smelled like damp concrete and secrets. William followed close behind, his heart pounding. "This is where you get your information?" Matt glanced back at him, a smirk playing on his lips. "This is where I get everything. Information. Contacts. The kind of people who don't exist on paper." "Right." William swallowed. "And you brought me because…" "Because you're the only person I trust." Matt's voice was quiet, sincere. "And because I wanted to show you who I really am." William's chest tightened. He followed Matt down the stairs. The underground was a labyrinth of narrow hallways, flickering lights, and doors that led to rooms William didn't want to know about. Men in dark suits stood against the walls, their eyes scanning ever
CHAPTER NINETY: I CHOOSE HIM The study was silent. Louis stood frozen in the doorway, his face pale, his voice barely a whisper. "Isabella is alive?" Lorenzo's jaw tightened. His eyes met Louis's, and something in them shifted…guilt, maybe, or fear. "Close the door," Lorenzo said quietly. Louis stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He didn't sit. He stood there, arms crossed, waiting. "Explain," Louis said. "Now." Lorenzo exhaled slowly. "After everything she did…after she tried to have you killed, after she manipulated everything, after she nearly destroyed us….I couldn't just let her walk away. I couldn't let her go free, she would continue to be a threat to our peace” Louis stared at him. "So you locked her in a mental hospital." "She's not in a hospital," Lorenzo said. "She's in a facility. A private one. She's alive, but she's contained. She can't hurt anyone anymore." Louis's voice was hollow. "Did you ever plan to tell me?" Lorenzo looked away. "I was going
CHAPTER EIGHTY NINE: THE SECRET Sunlight filtered softly through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the tangled sheets. William shifted closer to Matt's body, his hand resting on Matt's chest, his cheek pressed against his shoulder. The steady rhythm of Matt's heartbeat was the most soothing sound he had heard in weeks. He wished he could do this every morning. Forever. Matt groaned, his voice rough with sleep. "William dear, you can stop pretending to be asleep. I have to go." William moved closer, his lips brushing Matt's jaw. "Why don't you spoil me a little longer?" He tilted his head up to see Matt's face. "Good morning." Matt's eyes softened. He brushed the hair from William's forehead. "Good morning. How are you feeling?" William smiled. "Better. Much better." Matt kissed his forehead, his lips lingering. "I'm glad." William pulled him closer, his voice low. "I hope I didn't push too much last night." Matt leaned in, his lips brushing William's ear. His voic
CHAPTER SIX: THE GRANDMOTHER Louis stood in the middle of the bedroom, staring at the massive bed like it was a cage about to snap shut. He should be getting ready for bed. That's what normal people did. They brushed their teeth, they changed into something comfortable, they lay down and clos
CHAPTER FIVE: MARRIED TO A CRAZY ONE IN MILAN. The private jet felt ridiculous. Louis had never been on a plane that felt more like a hotel room. Leather seats that reclined into beds. A table set with actual silverware. A flight attendant who kept asking if he wanted anything…champagne, caviar
CHAPTER FOUR: THE CORNER TIGHTENS Louis walked into St. Jude's with a heavy heart and a lighter wallet. The candy in his hand…cheap lollipops, the kind Chloe pretended to hate…felt pathetic, but it was all he could afford now. All he could afford ever now, apparently. Three jobs gone in one we
CHAPTER THREE: THE ART OF REFUSAL Louis's eyes fluttered open to white ceiling, beeping machines, and that smell. The hospital smell that hits him right in the gut and says "somebody's about to get a bill they can't afford." Then a face was hovering right above him. "GAH!" Louis jolted so hard t







